It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look.....To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.
Henry Thoreau

Sunday, June 13, 2010

May/June

Birdhouse painting!

Outside my window: It was incredibly hot and humid yesterday. Somehow, the lack of sun this morning has put a cooler spin on the day. Let's hope it stays that way! As much as we are enjoying summer weather humidity and I just don't get along. :)

I am thinking -- Trying to figure out the world and it's inhabitants, as usual. ;)

From the schoolroom: Done, but had a whirl-wind week trying to get G/J in an online charter school for next year. Lot's of paperwork just to get them in the lottery makes me wonder if it will be worth it. But, obviously it's a popular idea from the number of applicants.

From the kitchen: Camping food this past week! Finally, our camping- packets turned out swimmingly :) Brought chili in the crockpot for the first night which was also a winner of an idea. Muffins, corn bread and 7 layer bars rounded out the menu.

I am reading,watching and listening: (Highlights)

Read: The Stoning of Soyara M ( which I think I read in one day....it was a small book, but still a record:)

It still boggles the mind that this story could be true. And not an isolated event.

Well, I've known for some time that I am introvert. I have no misgivings about it, other than I do get frustrated by our seemingly extroverted world at times. (*Disclaimer*, I think extroverts on the whole, are fine. The world, I believe, needs both types of people to make it run smoothly :) I do think that the our society ( especially American society) runs on extrovert *ideals* though, and that can be annoying). I thought this might be an interesting book to read to help shed light on how to relate to my extrovert children, who I often wonder if I am not stifling by my extreme home-body-ness. :) While it didn't give a whole lot of pointers there, it was nice to read about someone who feels the same way you do about a lot of things. And I really liked her thesis that *speaking* is not the only way to connect with others and that introverts connect by writing, reading, pondering, art...etc. etc.

Watched:

Frank Lloyd Wright ( by Ken Burns)

Frank Lloyd Wright was always someone who I had peripheral knowledge of. I have really been captivated by his genius in learning more about him. Well, his genius as an architect, some of his personal convictions were less than admirable. This was an excellent documentary. It interviewed several people throughout; his son, ( who was 100!) grandson's and even had an interview with him done by Wallace ( smoking a cigarette throughout the on -air interview! LOL! How times have changed!)

Listened to:

The Piano Teacher: Set in Hong Kong in pre/post WW2. I really liked this one.

The Great Gatsby:
I know this is considered a great classic. While it was an interesting story, I can't say it was one of the best I've ever read.

Around the house: Noah- our amazing "Mr Fixit" got the dryer back in order. It went from taking nearly all day to dry a load back to an hour. Huzzah!

What we will do this week: Recover from camping ( which = lots of laundry :) unpacking, and organizing things along with cleaning up a house that has been sadly neglected for a week. Festival meeting and a bbq with papa, meemaw and nan.

My daughter's blog

Someone who has a why can live with any what and any how.Viktor Frankl

The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity.

George Bernard Shaw

And it is this humanity of Jesus that makes visible what is divine in him, which makes him manifest to us as God. Frenzy of any kind - even if it is 'religious' zeal and frenzy - is totally alien to the man of the New Testament. Think about it: Every time that we believe we are absolutely indispensable, every time we think that the world and the Church depend on our tireless activity, we over-value ourselves.

It is not that I wish to sing the praises of laziness, but I do wish tosuggest a certain change in the table of virtues as it has evolved in theWestern world, for which only action counts as a legitimate and conceivableactivity - whereas meditation, wonder, self-communion and silence are seento be indefensible and worthless, or at the very least, 'activities' thatneed to be justified.